Spiff Up a Mirror With Tile

Our projects aren’t always success stories. Recently, I tried to spiff up a generic mirror in our powder room by using etching paint and Frog tape to create a border around it. It was a total fail. The paint was smeared, and it just didn’t show up enough. Then I decided to try adding tile as a border, and I am pleased to announce that it worked just the way I hoped it would.

(Results using etching paint. Boo!!!)

I thought it only fair to show you the results of the failed etching project. When I realized it wasn’t going to work, I went to Home Depot to check out the tile and thought hmmmm. What if I glued some tile onto the mirror to create a border? It could cover the etching and help spiff up the mirror.

I bought three sheets of glass tile that are normally used to do a back splash. I also bought some silicone glue to adhere the tiles to the mirror. It worked great but has a little smell.

For the first step, I took the mat and cut it in strips so the tiles would pull off easier. I peeled them off all at once, and I was ready to go.

I was so happy with the improvement the tiles made. If you look at the top of the photo, you will see two plastic clips. They are how the mirror is attached to the wall, and I decided I didn’t want to change that. The plastic clips were raised a tad, so I just glued the tile on top of them. Once the whole mirror was finished, I can barely notice that in a couple of places the tile is lifted.

The finished mirror is a major improvement. (Sorry the pictures are not the best, but I’m dealing with a tiny bathroom and odd angles.) It adds some color to the room and helps update the boring, plain mirror. This would look great on a big mirror in a bathroom, also. It was such an easy project that did not cost much and required few skills.

I think Gracie likes the new mirror, too. She is either thinking that she looks great or that there’s another dog behind the wall.